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Shooting a Parade without a Tripod

PhotobycatePhotobycate Registered Users Posts: 127 Major grins
edited November 26, 2008 in Technique
Hello All,

I will be at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with my family this Thursday and I want to take some shots of the parade. Because of the huge crowds I will not have my tripod with me but want to shoot in Shutter Priority mode to capture the floats and marchers as they move by. I have an 18mm-70mm Sony kit lens and am wondering what is the best shutter speed to shoot in for a parade where the movement is not sports fast but people and things will be "marching" by and I will be standing and hand holding my camera.

Thanks,
Cate:D

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    RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,929 moderator
    edited November 25, 2008
    Photobycate wrote:
    Hello All,

    I will be at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with my family this Thursday and I want to take some shots of the parade. Because of the huge crowds I will not have my tripod with me but want to shoot in Shutter Priority mode to capture the floats and marchers as they move by. I have an 18mm-70mm Sony kit lens and am wondering what is the best shutter speed to shoot in for a parade where the movement is not sports fast but people and things will be "marching" by and I will be standing and hand holding my camera.

    Thanks,

    I wouldn't use anything slower than 1/125, which should take care of camera shake even at your longest focal length. But it also depends on how fast they are moving. Take a few shots, then zoom the preview and chimp to see how you are doing. If the light is strong and there are deep shadows, you should consider using fill flash as well.
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    PhotobycatePhotobycate Registered Users Posts: 127 Major grins
    edited November 25, 2008
    1/125. Got it. Thanks.:D
    Richard wrote:
    I wouldn't use anything slower than 1/125, which should take care of camera shake even at your longest focal length. But it also depends on how fast they are moving. Take a few shots, then zoom the preview and chimp to see how you are doing. If the light is strong and there are deep shadows, you should consider using fill flash as well.
    Cate:D

    www.photobycate.com

    http://photobycate.wordpress.com/

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    Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited November 26, 2008
    Photobycate wrote:
    1/125. Got it. Thanks.:D
    Like Richard say, bring your flash along - I know 'cause the one time I shot a parade I didn't use mine and now I regret it.
    Scott
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